1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-pole electrical connector to be used as a plug or a socket.
The multi-pole electrical connector refers to an electrical connector having a number of poles. When a multi-pole electrical connector is so arranged as to be used as a socket, there is selected, as the counter member, another multi-pole electrical connector so arranged as to be used as a plug.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 7 schematically shows a conventional multi-pole electrical connector of the socket type.
In FIG. 7, the multi-pole electrical connector has a main body 100 including a connector insertion hole 110 into and from which a multi-pole electrical connector of the plug type (not shown) is to be inserted and removed, and a contact piece holding portion 120 which projects in the connector insertion hole 110. A contact piece 130' having a contact 131 is disposed at the top surface of the contact piece holding portion 120, while a contact piece 130' having a contact 131 is disposed at the bottom surface of the contact piece holding portion 120. These contact pieces 130' extend to the outside of the main body 100. These extending portions serve as terminals 132 to be soldered. These two contact pieces 130' respectively disposed at the top and lower sides of the contact piece holding portion 120, form a pair of contact pieces 130. A number of (for example, ten) such pairs of contact pieces 130 are disposed, as juxtaposed, at the contact piece holding portion 120. The terminals 132 to be soldered are adapted to be soldered to the soldering land of a printed circuit board (not shown).
The conventional multi-pole electrical connector having the arrangement mentioned above presents the following problem.
When the terminals 132 to be soldered of the conventional multi-pole electrical connector are once soldered to a printed circuit board, it is difficult to easily replace the multi-pole electrical connector even though the same should be replaced due to the wear and tear of the contacts 131.
Further, a great number of pairs of contact pieces are juxtaposed in one line at the contact piece holding portion 120. Accordingly, as the number of pairs of contact pieces 130 is increased, the transverse width of the entire connector is increased. This disadvantageously widens the space required for mounting the connector on a printed circuit board.